FDA CVM VET-LRN PROGRAM (U18) GRANT PROPOSAL Abstract This grant proposal from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) from the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Veterinary Laboratory Response Network Study for the Vet-LRN Program (U18). The purpose of this proposal from ODA's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL)'s Bacteriology Section is to study the prevalence of Salmonella in fecal samples from both symptomatic and asymptomatic pets submitted to veterinary clinics in order to determine the potential zoonotic risks of Salmonella infected pets on human health. This proposal will address four Specific Aims: 1. To determine the prevalence of Salmonella in fecal samples from both symptomatic and asymptomatic animals brought to veterinary clinics. 2. To determine antimicrobial resistance patterns for all Salmonella isolates. 3. To determine serotypes for all Salmonella isolates. 4. To determine PFGE patterns for all Salmonella isolates. A successful implementation of the project outlined in the proposal is predicted for many reasons including the extensive experience of the ADDL's professional and technical staff with the isolation and identification of Salmonella. The qualifications of the staff are also presented. As part of the proposal, a detailed view of the laboratory facilities is provided. This grant proposal also addresses the CVM request for sample analysis commitment as well as the laboratory's ability and willingness to complete the proposed research in a timely manner. Several additional documents including the internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Proficiency Testing (PT) results, letters of collaboration, certificate of AAVLD accreditation, and a summary of past achievements are provided along with the project narrative to showcase the laboratory's ability to provide the capacity and capability to conduct the project. We are confident that we can meet the objectives of this project and look forward to the opportunity to work with the FDA and other labs in its initiation.